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March 10, 1964 A. BALTZ REMOVABLE OVEN DOOR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2, 1962 hill/467 772! #484677 1011/5 84.472

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March 10, 1964 A. L.v BALTZ REMOVABLE OVEN DOOR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1962 FIG 6 Mme/W02.- m4 BRT uws an: 2

United States Patent y 3,124,121 REMOVABLE OVEN DOUR MECHANISM Albert Louis Baltz, Milis'tadt, 111., assigiior to Eagle Range & Manufacturing Company, Belleviile, Ill'., a

corporation of lliinois Filed Feb. 2, 1962, sen. No. 170,689 4 Claims. (Cl. 126191) The present invention relates to an oven and particularlyto a removable door structure for an oven.

Although many oven structures available commercially have some form of removable door, most of these devices require tools and/or some sort of mechanical ability to remove and replace the oven door. I

Sincethe door of an oven normally is hinged at the lower edge and swings outwardly protruding in front of the oven, the door should be removable so that the housewife may have easy access to the oven chamber to clean it. Furthermore, since oven doors are heavy and bulky, the housewife should be able to grasp the door in both hands while removing and replacing it without having to manipulate various portions of the mechanism. Also, the door should be easily removable and replaceable without using tools.

on of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an oven having a mechanism whereby the oven door is easily removed and replaced by the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an oven door and counterbalance mechanism which can be locked into a fixed positionso that the door may be readily removed from the oven by pivoting it on its hinge and lifting it away from the oven.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a door hinge and counterbalance mechanism in which the oven door is pivoted to an open position, a readily accessible member is moved into engagenient with the counterbalance mechanism to lock it in its extended position, the door is grasped in both hands and pivoted to a partially closed position, and the door then is easily removed from the oven merely by lifting said door away form the oven.

It is a further object to provide an oven door which can be replaced and engaged with the counterbalance mechanism by positioning the door adjacent to the oven chamber opening in a partially open position, pivoting the door to its fully open positibn, and disengaging a lock means from the counterbalance mechanism to re-engage said counterbalance mechanism with the oven door.

These and other obje c ts and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention comprises an oven door and counterbalance mechanism wherein the oven door is pivoted at itslower edge to the oven frame and a lever arm extends into the oven into removable engagement with the counterbalance mechanism which includes a member adapted to be moved upwardly by said lever arm as the oven 'door is opened and to be engaged and locked it s upper position by a member accessible from within the oven chamber. I

the drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like parts wherever they occur.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an oven embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with a portion of the oven chamber wall broken away to show the counterbalance mechanism;

FIG. 3 is enlarged fragmentary View of the door and oven chamber with a portion of the oven wall broken away and showing the oven door in its fully open position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and shows the counterbalance mechanism locked in its extended position and 3,124,121 Patented Mar. 10, 196d ice shows the oven door pivoted to a partly open position prior to its removal; 7

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 and shows the oven door removed from the hinge bracket;

FIG. 6 is a perspective fragmentary view showing the oven door removed from the oven;

7 FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the counterbalance mechanism; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and shows the lateral relation of the parts of the counterbalance mechanism.

FIG. 1 shows an oven 10 consisting of a splash board 11, a top 12, oven doors 13, a broiler section 14 and a stand 15. V V

The oven 10 includes an oven chamber 16 defined by opposed side walls 17 provided with oven rack runners 18, a top wall 19 an end wall 20 and a bottom wall 21. An outer casing 22 surrounds the oven chamber 16 and is spaced therefrom at the top, back and sides thereof with the chamber defined therebetween beingfilled with an insulating material 23. The oven door 13 is adapted to close the opening 24 defined at the front edge of the oven chamber 16. A door handle 25 is fitted to the front of the oven door 13.

The oven door 13 includes pins 26 positioned at its lower edge and adjacent to each side. An L-shaped lever arm 27 is fixed to the inside surface of the door 13 at each side adjacent to the lower edge and protrudes outwardly and downwardly thereof. An extension or proje'ction 23 extends outwardlyof each of the lever arms 27 at their lower edges. Each of the projections 28 ter- Ininate in a head 29. v 7

L-shaped hinge brackets 3i) having pin engaging slots 31 are fixed to the front of the oven 10 at the sides of the oven chamber 16 adjacent to the bottom; The bracket 30 projects outwardly and downwardly with respect to the front of the oven 10 and the slots 31 are provided in the lower front ends of the brackets 30. The slots 31 accommodate the door hinge pins 2 6 and pivotally engage the oven door 13 with the oven 10. As is apparent; the door 13 is readily removable from the hinge brackets 30 by lifting it outwardly and upwardly. I

A counterbalance mechanism 32 is provided inside the oven 11) adjacent to the 'o'verr'chamber side walls 17 to removably engage the oven door lever arms 27. Since both mechanisms 32 are alike, only one will be described in detail. v

Each or the mechanisms 32 menses a bar 33 pivoted at its rear end 34 to the oven chainber side wall 17 and having a bar nose 35 at resale or forward end. A connecting member 36 pivoted to the bar 33 intermedirate of the ends thereof. A counterbalance spring 37 is fastened at one end 38 to the oven frame and is connected at the other end 39 to 'lowerend of the connecting member 36. A slot 40 having a detcnt 41 therein is provided inthe upper end 42 of the cbi'niecting member 36.

The oven chamber side walls 17 are provided with longitudinal; slots 43 which are vertically aligned with the connecting member 36. A slidable lock means 44 is positioned in the slot 43 and a knob 45 readily accessible fioin inside the even number 16 and includes an extension or shank poi-nes le which 'fit's through the space between oven chamber 17 the casing side wall 22 rides aligned slot 47 provided in said casing 22. A necked down portion 48 is provided on the extension 46 and is adapted to engage the detent 41 on the extension member 3'6 to 1051; the counterbalance mechanism 32 in its extended position to facilitate removal and replacement of the oven door 13 as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

The counterbalance mechanism 32 is engaged with the oven door 113 by means of the bar nose 35 riding on the lever projection 28 and bearing downwardly thereon. When it is desired to remove the oven door 13, the door 13 is pivoted from a closed position (FIG. 2) to a fully open position (FIG. 3) and the lock means 44 is moved re arwardly in the oven chamber wall slot 43 so that the necked down portion 48 on the shank 46 is in engagement with the slot detent 41 on the connecting member 36. When the door 13 is pivoted to a partially open position (FIG. 4) the counterbalance mechanism 32 is locked in its fully extended position, and the oven door 13 can be lifted upwardly and outwardly (FIG. 5) to remove the hinge pins 26 from the hinge bracket slots 31.

The foregoing operation is reversed when the door 13 is re-engaged. In other words, the door hinge pins 26 are positioned in the hinge bracket slots 31 With the door 13 in its partially closed position (FIG. 5). The door 13 then is pivoted to a fully open position (FIG. 3) with the lever arm projection 28 beneath the nose 35 of the bar 33. The lock means 44 is moved forwardly in the chamber wall slot 43 to disengage the lock means 44 from the counterbalance mechanism 32 and the counterbalance mechanism 32 then re-engages with the lever arm 27 to fix the oven door 13 on the oven 10.

The arms 27 fit through openings 49 provided in the front wall of the oven 10 and project into the cavity defined between the oven chamber 16 and the outer casing 22.

Thus it is apparent that the present invention provides an oven door and counterbalance mechanism which achieves all of the objects and advantages sought therefor.

The present invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An oven having a removable door comprising:

(a) a chamber having side walls provided with longitudinal openings therein and an open front,

(b) an outer casing spaced from the side walls of said chamber and having front walls connected to the chamber side walls, said front walls being provided with openings therein,

(c) hinge brackets positioned on the front of said oven and projecting outwardly thereof, said brackets being provided with notches,

(d) a door adapted to close said chamber front,

(e) pins positioned on said door at the lower edge thereof, said pins adapted to engage said notches in said hinge brackets whereby said door may be pivoted from open to closed position,

(1) levers positioned on the inner side of said door and projecting outwardly and downwardly thereof, said levers being adapted to be inserted in the front wall openings,

(g) projections on the lower end of said levers,

(h) counterbalance mechanisms positioned between said chamber side walls and said outer casing, each of said mechanisms comprising:

( 1) a bar pivoted at one end to said oven and having means on the other end engageable with the projection on said lever,

(2) a connecting member pivoted to said bar intermediate of the ends thereof and provided with a notch at the upper end thereof, and

(3) a spring anchored to said oven and fastened to the lower end of said connecting member, and

(i) a button positioned in said chamber side Wall slots,

a portion of said button projecting into said chamher and accessible therefrom, and second portion of said button projecting into the space between said chamber and said casing and therein adapted to be moved along said slots to engage said connecting member notches when said oven door is open, said button holding said counterbalance mechanism in its extended position so that said door can be removed from said hinge brackets.

2. An oven having front and side Walls and including an oven chamber having an opening therein and side walls spaced inwardly from the oven side walls comprismg (a) a removable door fitted to said opening,

(b) a lever positioned on said door,

(0) pivot means removably supporting said door on said oven,

(d) a counterbalance mechanism housed between said chamber side walls and the oven side walls releasably engaging said lever, said mechanism including (1) a bar pivoted at one end to the oven and having its other end releasably engaging said lever, and

(2) a counterbalance spring anchored to the oven and connected to said bar,

(e) lock means fixed to said oven chamber walls and accessible from within said oven chamber, said lock means being movable and engageable with said counterbalance mechanism when said oven door is open to hold said counterbalance mechanism in its extended position.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 wherein said counterbalance mechanism includes a connecting member connected to said bar intermediate its ends, said member connecting the counterbalance spring to the bar and having a notch in one end engageable with the lock means.

4. An oven having a removable door comprising,

(a) a chamber having side walls provided with longitudinal openings therein and an open front,

(b) an outer casing spaced from the side walls of said chamber and having front walls connected to the chamber side walls,

(c) a door adapted to close said chamber front,

(d) pivot means removably supporting said door on said oven,

(e) counterbalance mechanisms positioned between said chamber side walls and said outer casing, each of said mechanisms comprising (1) a bar pivoted at one end to said oven and having means on the other end engageable with said lever,

(2) a connecting member pivoted to said bar intermediate of the ends thereof and provided with a notch at the upper end thereof, and

(3) a spring anchored to said oven and fastened to the lower end of said connecting member, and

(f) a button positioned in said chamber side wall slots,

a portion of said button projecting into said chamber and accessible therefrom, and second portion of said button projecting into the space between said chamber and said casing and therein adapted to be moved along said slots to engage said connecting member notches when said oven door is open, said button holding said counterbalance mechanism in its extended position so that said door can be removed from said brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN OVEN HAVING A REMOVABLE DOOR COMPRISING: (A) A CHAMBER HAVING SIDE WALLS PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINAL OPENINGS THEREIN AND AN OPEN FRONT, (B) AN OUTER CASING SPACED FROM THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING FRONT WALLS CONNECTED TO THE CHAMBER SIDE WALLS, SAID FRONT WALLS BEING PROVIDED WITH OPENINGS THEREIN, (C) HINGE BRACKETS POSITIONED ON THE FRONT OF SAID OVEN AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREOF, SAID BRACKETS BEING PROVIDED WITH NOTCHES, (D) A DOOR ADAPTED TO CLOSE SAID CHAMBER FRONT, (E) PINS POSITIONED ON SAID DOOR AT THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF, SAID PINS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID NOTCHES IN SAID HINGE BRACKETS WHEREBY SAID DOOR MAY BE PIVOTED FROM OPEN TO CLOSED POSITION, (F) LEVERS POSITIONED ON THE INNER SIDE OF SAID DOOR AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY THEREOF, SAID LEVERS BEING ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN THE FRONT WALL OPENINGS, (G) PROJECTIONS ON THE LOWER END OF SAID LEVERS, (H) COUNTERBALANCE MECHANISMS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER SIDE WALLS AND SAID OUTER CASING, EACH OF SAID MECHANISMS COMPRISING: (1) A BAR PIVOTED AT ONE END TO SAID OVEN AND HAVING MEANS ON THE OTHER END ENGAGEABLE WITH THE PROJECTION ON SAID LEVER, (2) A CONNECTING MEMBER PIVOTED TO SAID BAR INTERMEDIATE OF THE ENDS THEREOF AND PROVIDED WITH A NOTCH AT THE UPPER END THEREOF, AND (3) A SPRING ANCHORED TO SAID OVEN AND FASTENED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER, AND (I) A BUTTON POSITIONED IN SAID CHAMBER SIDE WALL SLOTS, A PORTION OF SAID BUTTON PROJECTING INTO SAID CHAMBER AND ACCESSIBLE THEREFROM, AND SECOND PORTION OF SAID BUTTON PROJECTING INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND SAID CASING AND THEREIN ADAPTED TO BE MOVED ALONG SAID SLOTS TO ENGAGE SAID CONNECTING MEMBER NOTCHES WHEN SAID OVEN DOOR IS OPEN, SAID BUTTON HOLDING SAID COUNTERBALANCE MECHANISM IN ITS EXTENDED POSITION SO THAT SAID DOOR CAN BE REMOVED FROM SAID HINGE BRACKETS. 